


paper rings

by BuddysImpala



Category: The Greatest Showman (2017)
Genre: (almost) homeless, Fluff, Implied homophobia, Lover - Freeform, M/M, Period-Typical Homophobia, Phineas’s quality of living does a complete 360, Taylor Swift - Freeform, angst & fluff, barlyle - Freeform, but not too bad, can y’all tell I love this album, paper rings, poor circus boys, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-26
Updated: 2019-08-26
Packaged: 2020-09-27 06:53:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20403508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BuddysImpala/pseuds/BuddysImpala
Summary: Phineas and Phillip only have each other left.





	paper rings

Water dripped from the leaking ceiling, gathering in a puddle on the cold, hard floor. Phillip shuddered, wrapping a blanket around his shoulders. It was ridden with holes, moth-eaten, and thin enough that the fabric frayed under his fingertips. Still, it was better than nothing, despite his chattering teeth and blue fingertips.

The smell of cooking meat filled the tiny, two room apartment. Phillip didn’t bother to ask where Phineas found the food anymore — more often than not, the answers turned his stomach. He had to remind himself that Phineas grew up on the streets — at least they had a (leaky) roof over their heads. Phineas knew how to hunt and scavenge when food was low... and, these days, their supply was low much more often than not.

“Come and get it!”

Phillip looked up to see Phineas standing in the doorway, smiling, and holding two piping hot bowls of soup with... some kind of meat floating in the middle. Phillip thought it best not to ask and took his supper with a murmured thanks. Despite his wariness over the meat, the warm broth soothed his throat and he sighed as he sipped at the bowl. They didn’t have silverware.

“I’m sorry it couldn’t be more,” Phineas mumbled, smile and happy charade crumbling.

Phillip licked his lips, catching as many drops of watered-down broth as he could. “This is fantastic, Phineas. Thank you.”

“You and I both know that isn’t true.”

Phillip sighed and leaned into Phineas’s shoulder. “You’re doing the best you can. I know that.”

“It’s my fault we have to live like this in the first place—“

Phillip’s sharp look caused the words to dissolve in Phineas’s throat. “It takes two to kiss, Phin.” He scoffed. “You didn’t exactly force me into it.”

“Yes, but I hadn’t realized we weren’t alone—“

“Phin.” Meal forgotten, Phillip gently covered the older man’s mouth with his hand, and then leaned forward to cup the man’s face. Wonderful warmth seeped into his skin, returning heat to his fingertips. He rested their foreheads together, lips brushing against Phineas’s as he mumbled, “I love you. Absolutely nothing — no matter if we live in a sparkling palace or a crumbling mud shack — will ever change that.”

After a moment’s hesitation, Phineas pressed further into the kiss. Goosebumps rose on Phillip’s skin, not from the cold this time, but Phineas’s touch. Their lips were dry, skin slightly dirty. Phillip, perfectionist that he was, couldn’t remember the last time he’d properly styled his hair. After awhile, he’d simply stopped trying.

But, despite everything, they were together.

Phineas was, and continued to be, the only constant Phillip had ever had in his life.

When they finally broke the kiss (Phillip wasn’t quite sure who pulled away first), Phineas’s hands continued to flutter over his face like a butterfly’s wings. Phillip smiled at him, about to speak, but Phineas beat him to it.

He tilted his head, whiskey eyes thoughtful as he traced the shape of Phillip’s lower lip. “You know,” he mused, almost as if talking to himself, “I like shiny things, but...”

Voice drifting off, Phillip watched as Phineas stood up. He seemed far away, lost in thought, as he gathered their soup bowls and took them to the makeshift, broken down kitchen.

Phillip frowned, unsure of whether he was supposed to follow, but Phineas returned before he could decide one way or the other. He was fiddling with something, though Phillip couldn’t tell what.

“Stand up, Phil.”

Brow furrowing in confusion, Phillip did as told. He looked up as Phineas looked down, eyes locking.

Then Phineas spoke again.

“I like shiny things,” he confessed, small grin working at his lips, “but... I’d marry you with paper rings.”

He held out his hand, fingers uncurling to reveal a small ring, strung together by what looked to be the strands of their very last napkin.

Phillip’s breath caught in his throat.

“That is,” Phineas added sheepishly, “if you’ll have me.”

Phillip looked down at the ‘ring.’ It was laughable — if his acquaintances from his former life saw him with such a thing, he’d be laughed right out of the next gala — but... it was Phineas.

Phineas, who... wanted him.

No matter the circumstances.

“Will you marry me, Phillip?”

Lump in his throat, Phillip looked up. All he could do was nod — he was afraid of the noises that might escape if he opened his mouth.

Phineas’s eyes sparkled anyway. And, God, if they weren’t the most beautiful sight Phillip had ever seen.

Phineas’s paper ring went around Phillip’s finger and, somehow, fit quite perfectly. Phillip all but flung himself at Phineas, wrapping his arms around the man’s neck and burying his face into the man’s shoulder. Strong arms held him, held him close, and he never wanted to be let go.

From above, water dripped down the leaky roof and into Phillip’s hair. He hardly felt it.

There, in Phineas’s arms, even as his stomach rumbled and his teeth chattered and his fingertips turned blue, he knew everything was going to be all right.

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by “Paper Rings” from Taylor Swift’s new album Lover, although you might not know it from what I’ve done to a ridiculously upbeat and adorable song 😂


End file.
